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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28877916">Lean On Me</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ellionne/pseuds/Ellionne'>Ellionne</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Adults, Dancing, Fluff, Idiots in Love, M/M, Oblivious Harry, Obvious Tom, POV Harry Potter</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 07:29:00</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,676</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28877916</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ellionne/pseuds/Ellionne</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Now that he thought about it, Abraxas was rather sure even a mountain troll wasn’t as daft as these two. They truly deserved each other.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Harry Potter/Tom Riddle | Voldemort</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>169</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Enabled and Approved at the Wholesome Place</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Lean On Me</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheLadyGia/gifts">TheLadyGia</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>
  <b>Do NOT repost, recreate or translate.</b>
</p><p> </p><p>Happy Birthday, luv!<br/>Just for your big day, a new attempt at fluff \o/</p><p>Thanks to my beta <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/NeuroWriter14/pseuds/NeuroWriter14">NeuroWriter14</a> &lt;3</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Harry waved in and out between various <em>important </em>people, paying careful attention to the drinks in his hands, as he tried to make his way back over to Tom. Tom, who despite the often stated importance of being seen on such events did his best to merge with the wall he leaned on in their usual hidden alcove. His grumpy expression brightened immensely as he saw Harry approaching, even more so when he discovered the beverage Harry was bringing with him.</p><p>“Thank you, darling, you’re a lifesaver.”</p><p>Only the exposure to Tom’s endearments over the years, helped Harry to curb his bright flush into a faint blush before it had fully formed. “Ah, don’t mention it. You would’ve done the same for me.” Which was true and proven. Whenever Harry <em>had </em>to attend some social gathering, Tom made sure to meet him there and help him survive the vultures that tried to get a piece of Harry Potter, the Boy-Who-Catches, youngest professional Seeker in centuries.</p><p>Just like Harry attended the much more numerous galas Tom was required to grace with his presence in his quest to become the youngest minister in recent history.</p><p>If Harry may say so himself, it was <em>his </em>effort that kept the Ministry running.<br/>
Tom would have killed half of the usual crowd already, if not for Harry giving him time and time again the opportunity to blow off steam by cussing about all the unbelievable nonsense his esteemed peers of the Wizengamot and colleagues in the Ministry had done <em>now </em>again. For all that he seemed to be aloof in public, Tom was a gossip at heart - but no one else but Harry would ever know about it.</p><p>The list to earn Tom’s ire was a long one. Tom was put out by ill-fitted clothing, by incompetence, by simpleness... but on events like this, he was mostly annoyed by all the ‘important’ people that just <em>had to </em>have a dance with him. All without having the decency to actually be able to be an adequate dance partner for the elegance personified that was Tom on and off a dance floor. </p><p>Sometimes, Harry wondered with whom Tom spoke to blow off his bad mood about <em> Harry</em>. All the things, Tom was put out by other people, Harry had deeply ingrained. He loved ill-fitted clothing - Tom’s sweaters were just too comfy to <em>not </em>wear them whenever he managed to get his hands on one.<br/>
His only field of competence was Quidditch - admittedly, on the field, he had <em>great </em>competence. (Still, he would seriously maim the reporter who had come up with the <em> Boy-Who-Catches </em>moniker if he ever found out who it was. Just because he had been the youngest seeker in centuries didn’t mean they had to call him <em> Boy </em> for the rest of his life, dammit.) Tom loathed sports in general but Quidditch in particular, although he made a point in visiting at least some of Harry’s matches each season - probably because he was aware enough to realize that the masses wouldn’t vote for someone who was never seen at Quidditch.<br/>
Additionally, Harry enjoyed the simple things. He loved quiet evenings, he loved to cook for his friends and family and <em> Tom</em>. He didn’t like to complicate his life - he would even have followed through with everyone’s expectations of becoming an Auror, just like his late father had been, if it weren’t for Tom and his insistence that Harry should do what he wanted. Tom even had gone through the hassle of bullying a scout into attending a school match back in their sixth year, which had resulted in Harry being contracted as a professional player while still at school. To this day, Harry had no idea how Tom had managed. </p><p>Harry combined all attributes Tom hated in other people - minus the dance requests, Harry didn’t do dancing - in one person. It was a wonder he gave Harry any time of the day. But they were friends for too long now, for Harry to expect foul play of any kind. And they had been friends since before Harry’s name had held any prestige. They had just been two unloved orphans with a legacy they had known nothing about until a few years into their Hogwarts schooling. </p><p>“- you listening?”</p><p>Harry blinked owlishly up into Tom’s amused face - Tom hated when someone didn’t pay attention to him, he had no business looking so fond. </p><p>“I- uhm. Sure. I was just-“</p><p>“<em> Pardon? </em>”</p><p>It never ceased to amaze Harry, to observe the perfect control Tom had over his facial expression. His open, almost youthful amusement vanished behind a bland smile that told Harry just <em>how </em>annoyed he was at the interruption of the woman in a too-short dress that had managed to suddenly place herself in the small space between them.</p><p>Considering the joyful expression of the witch at earning Tom’s attention, he was the only one who noticed the telling sign of Tom’s tightened jaw and impatiently quirked eyebrow.</p><p>Harry winced inaudibly. For Tom to be in such an - at least for Harry - obvious foul mood, the interactions this evening so far had to be especially abysmal. He felt bad for appearing as late as he did but he had some last-minute strategy discussions for the final match later this week and couldn’t steal away to attend a Ministry gala he had made - strictly spoken - a point to have no business with. </p><p>“I was just talking with my uncle, the French Minister of Magic, who told me about your meeting earlier this month and I wondered if you might be interested in a dance? It would make a great picture for the international papers, wouldn’t it?” </p><p>Tom’s cold expression warmed up by a small degree, he graced the smug woman with a grin sharp enough to cut steel that let her swoon and Harry gulp. Tom was <em>pissed </em> - honestly, Harry could relate. He hated people who threw their money, name, or relations around to get what they wanted. But phrased like this, Tom couldn’t stand her up. </p><p>“Harry, <em> sweetheart</em>, would you excuse me for a moment?”</p><p>Without waiting for an answer, Tom placed his now empty glass on one of the levitating trays and positively dragged the rude woman, who sent Harry a baleful glance upon the - even for Tom unusually weighted - endearment, off to the dance floor. </p><p>Harry copied Tom’s earlier stance and leaned back to the wall as he followed them with his eyes. It was bound to be a real show. It didn’t matter how experienced or talented the witch was, Tom would wipe the floor with her and would let her look like an ungracious hag - of course, without tarnishing his own reputation. Tom was known for many things, his exceptional dancing skills included. The only one who was immune to Tom’s skills as a leading dance partner was Harry, as their attendance of their Graduation Ball had proved. As graceful as Harry was on a broom or in a duel, as clumsy and hopeless was he on the dance floor. And no amount of lessons could change anything about it, Tom had sure tried, but even he had - probably for the first and only time in his life - to admit defeat in the end. </p><p>And just like Harry had anticipated, the witch stepped again and again on Tom’s toes, her face getting redder and redder while Tom showed an increasingly pitying expression. Even so, Harry could see the cruel entertainment clearly in Tom’s eyes. But Harry didn’t mind overly, the woman <em>had </em>been terribly rude and shoved herself between them while they had a private conversation, after all, so this-</p><p>
  <em> Oh wow.  </em>
</p><p>She had been rude, yes.<br/>
But for Tom to end the dance before the song was out? Oh, the burn. The woman looked ready to rage, but Harry aside, she was the only one who could tell that her abysmal dancing was Tom’s fault. And since everyone knew Tom was a fantastic dancer and they had <em>seen </em>Tom’s perfect posture and the woman still stepping on his feet, she couldn’t lay the blame at Tom without looking like an accusing bitch that hadn’t gotten what she wanted - namely into Tom’s pants - and was a sore loser. And apparently, she knew it. At least if her storming off into the other direction was any indication.</p><p>Harry ignored the witch in favour of Tom, who radiated smugness as soon as the masses were in his back and just Harry could see his face. Harry shook his head in helpless fondness. He hated bullies, he hated people who gained glee by one-upping other people but still- Tom was Tom, and Harry would never judge him. </p><p>Tom opened his mouth, probably to entertain Harry with his own assessment of his latest unsatisfying dance partner - to be fair, no one could satisfy his perfectionism - only to be distracted by the hidden horror in Harry’s perfectly pleasant expression as he spotted their old Potions Professor Horace Slughorn behind Tom, obviously on his way to approach Harry.</p><p>The man had always been infamous for <em>collecting </em>students he thought promising. Harry loathed him with a passion and had thankfully managed to stay under the man’s radar at Hogwarts after he made it known that he had - despite his <em>good name </em>- no connections or aspirations. Even his talent at Quidditch didn’t earn him the man’s attention as he was way too much put out by the fact that Harry’s talent overshadowed these of all his already collected players. Later, Harry found out that Tom had done his best to talk Slughorn out of approaching him and Harry had never been more grateful for Tom. </p><p>Even now, Tom didn’t need to look back. Just by taking in Harry’s expression, he changed his whole demeanour. Where there had previously been <em>his </em>Tom, swaggering back to Harry, as much as he ever would dare with other people around, to gloat about his newest little victory over some unworthy peasant - now he was the graceful Lord on a mission to gain favour with a fellow Wizengamot Member, who was known for being unwilling to acknowledge the fact as much as possible. </p><p>Tom bowed perfectly at his waist and extended a hand towards Harry.</p><p>“May I have this dance, Lord Black?”</p><p>No. Harry would rather not. Really.</p><p>On the other hand, Slughorn had slowed down and watched their exchange contemplating. Tom was the best horse in his stable, so to speak, and he would never do anything to disturb Tom’s chances to get Minister soon. And with the seats, Harry had surprisingly inherited upon his seventeenth birthday from his godfather, his vote <em>had </em>some sway in the Wizengamot, even though he seldom used it. Merlin, Harry was <em>so </em>glad Slughorn didn’t know about his Black inheritance while he still was at Hogwarts. The man would have hunted him down constantly to force him to <em>socialize </em>with all the stilted suck-ups. Just like he tried to hunt him now, so Harry could just-</p><p>“Of course, Lord Slytherin.”</p><p>It was a disaster bound to happen. Nevertheless, Harry took Tom’s hand and let himself be guided to the dance floor. Dread pooled in Harry’s stomach. He would make a fool out of himself, even Tom couldn’t save his ass now. Harry wondered what he had done to deserve this retribution, for it couldn’t be anything else. </p><p>“I hope you know what you’re doing, Tom.”, Harry muttered under his breath. There were <em>so </em>many people and they all were watching - it was rare for Tom to request a dance.<br/>
In a flourish, Tom swung Harry around and brought him into position. They fitted perfectly together, as always. If only Harry could complement Tom dancing as well as he did when they just were standing next to each other.</p><p>“Don’t worry, darling.”</p><p>The music started and Harry did his best to follow Tom’s lead, but as usual, he was distracted by Tom’s face that was <em>so </em>much closer than in their normal interactions, his dark eyes peering down on Harry under long lashes with unparalleled intensity and fondness and still, he managed to guide them perfectly fine around all the other dancing pairs.<br/>
Harry stumbled through a few steps, intoxicated by the surrounding smell of <em> Tom </em>when Tom just sighed amused and crooked his lips in the mischievous and unguarded grin that he only ever reserved for Harry. </p><p>“Do you trust me?”</p><p>It was a loaded question. Harry would trust Tom with his life without further thought. But in the daily, Tom was too much of a little shit for Harry to trust him comfortably to not set him a small trap just for his own personal entertainment - Tom <em>was </em>a Slytherin in essence. </p><p>Even so-</p><p>“Always.”</p><p>And with the next step, Harry placed his hands on Tom’s broad shoulders to keep him stable, as Tom lifted him like the other leading dancers lifted their partners. It was mesmerizing to watch Tom’s face from above. The light caught in his eyes, let them seem to glitter as he looked at Harry’s face above his own. </p><p>“Then just lean on me and let me carry your weight.”</p><p>And with the next tact, when all the other lifted dancers were set down on the ground to continue the elaborated dance, Tom also let Harry down. But instead of a hard floor beneath him and a proper distance between them, Harry felt Tom holding him close, cradling him to his chest, as he placed Harry on his own feet. Tom continued the dance in smaller steps to not overtax Harry’s shorter legs that weren’t able to properly adjust in the position Tom had trapped them in. </p><p>Harry was engulfed by warmth and the feeling of security, as Tom’s strong arms held him against his firm chest. He could hear whispering around them, as the High Society gossiped about their improper behaviour and Harry craned his neck slightly to burrow his face in the crock of Tom's neck to hide his flushed face. He could see Tom’s delighted expression as he guided Harry carefully through the steps before the world was muted by the dark corner Harry had decided to hide himself - surrounded by Tom in entirety, it let Harry’s head feel light. </p><p>He felt the swaying and rocking as Tom continued the dance and Harry was vaguely aware of a new song being played, but Tom just continued as he was, holding Harry even tighter and brushed his nose through Harry’s hair. </p><p>Maybe-<br/>
Maybe dancing wasn’t that bad. At least as long as it was like this and Harry could pretend they were alone. </p><p><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
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<br/>
</p><p>Abraxas watched with exasperation as his friend threw all sense of decorum into the wind and cradled Potter intimately on the dance floor while grinning wickedly at the youngest Weasley that had tried to ensnare Potter for some time now - not that the man would have noticed. He hadn’t even noticed Tom’s adoration since <em>approximately the day they met </em>so there was no chance he would notice the plans of some up-starting woman just because she talked about Quidditch with him.<br/>
And even if he would notice, Abraxas had no doubt Tom would be able to tweak it to his favour. The man could do everything he set his mind on. Well, everything besides speaking plainly with his <em>sweetheart. </em> Honestly, Abraxas knew Potter wasn’t as dumb as he made himself out to be but Merlin knows the man’s understanding of romance would fit on a teaspoon. Even Tom wasn’t <em>that </em>emotionally stunted. </p><p>Although he <em>had </em> - instead of just talking to Potter - somehow managed to get the French Minister’s niece to let him look good - for no part-Veela would ever be this graceless - and talked Horace into hounding Potter so Tom could be his shining knight again. Even Horace wasn’t desperate enough to collect someone who clearly didn’t want to be collected. </p><p>Now that he thought about it, Abraxas was rather sure even a mountain troll wasn’t as daft as these two. They truly deserved each other.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I have <a href="https://ellionne.tumblr.com/">tumblr</a> now. Feel free to check it out and throw me a question or something. :D</p></blockquote></div></div>
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